2 Maccabees
Chapter 7
1
It also happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested and tortured with whips and scourges by the king, to force them to eat pork in violation of God's law.
2
One of the brothers, speaking for the others, said: "What do you expect to achieve by questioning us? We are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our ancestors."
3
At that the king, in a fury, gave orders to have pans and caldrons heated.
4
While they were being quickly heated, he commanded his executioners to cut out the tongue of the one who had spoken for the others, to scalp him and cut off his hands and feet, while the rest of his brothers and his mother looked on.
5
When he was completely maimed but still breathing, the king ordered them to carry him to the fire and fry him. As a cloud of smoke spread from the pan, the brothers and their mother encouraged one another to die bravely, saying such words as these:
6
"The Lord God is looking on, and he truly has compassion on us, as Moses declared in his canticle, when he protested openly with the words, 'And he will have pity on his servants.'"
7
When the first brother had died in this manner, they brought the second to be made sport of. After tearing off the skin and hair of his head, they asked him, "Will you eat the pork rather than have your body tortured limb by limb?"
8
Answering in the language of his forefathers, he said, "Never!" So he too in turn suffered the same tortures as the first.
9
1 At the point of death he said: "You accursed fiend, you are depriving us of this present life, but the King of the world will raise us up to live again forever. It is for his laws that we are dying."
10
After him the third suffered their cruel sport. He put out his tongue at once when told to do so, and bravely held out his hands,
11
as he spoke these noble words: "It was from Heaven that I received these; for the sake of his laws I disdain them; from him I hope to receive them again."
12
Even the king and his attendants marveled at the young man's courage, because he regarded his sufferings as nothing.
13
After he had died, they tortured and maltreated the fourth brother in the same way.
14
When he was near death, he said, "It is my choice to die at the hands of men with the God-given hope of being restored to life by him; but for you, there will be no resurrection to life."
15
They next brought forward the fifth brother and maltreated him. Looking at the king,
16
he said: "Since you have power among men, mortal though you are, do what you please. But do not think that our nation is forsaken by God.
17
Only wait, and you will see how his great power will torment you and your descendants."
18
After him they brought the sixth brother. When he was about to die, he said: "Have no vain illusions. We suffer these things on our own account, because we have sinned against our God; that is why such astonishing things have happened to us.
19
Do not think, then, that you will go unpunished for having dared to fight against God."
20
Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother, who saw her seven sons perish in a single day, yet bore it courageously because of her hope in the Lord.
21
Filled with a noble spirit that stirred her womanly heart with manly courage, she exhorted each of them in the language of their forefathers with these words:
22
"I do not know how you came into existence in my womb; it was not I who gave you the breath of life, nor was it I who set in order the elements of which each of you is composed.
23
Therefore, since it is the Creator of the universe who shapes each man's beginning, as he brings about the origin of everything, he, in his mercy, will give you back both breath and life, because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of his law." Martyrdom of Mother and Sons
24
Antiochus, suspecting insult in her words, thought he was being ridiculed. As the youngest brother was still alive, the king appealed to him, not with mere words, but with promises on oath, to make him rich and happy if he would abandon his ancestral customs: he would make him his Friend and entrust him with high office.
25
When the youth paid no attention to him at all, the king appealed to the mother, urging her to advise her boy to save his life.
26
After he had urged her for a long time, she went through the motions of persuading her son.
27
In derision of the cruel tyrant, she leaned over close to her son and said in their native language: "Son, have pity on me, who carried you in my womb for nine months, nursed you for three years, brought you up, educated and supported you to your present age.
28
2 I beg you, child, to look at the heavens and the earth and see all that is in them; then you will know that God did not make them out of existing things; and in the same way the human race came into existence.
29
Do not be afraid of this executioner, but be worthy of your brothers and accept death, so that in the time of mercy I may receive you again with them."
30
She had scarcely finished speaking when the youth said: "What are you waiting for? I will not obey the king's command. I obey the command of the law given to our forefathers through Moses.
31
But you, who have contrived every kind of affliction for the Hebrews, will not escape the hands of God.
32
We, indeed, are suffering because of our sins.
33
Though our living Lord treats us harshly for a little while to correct us with chastisements, he will again be reconciled with his servants.
34
But you, wretch, vilest of all men! do not, in your insolence, concern yourself with unfounded hopes, as you raise your hand against the children of Heaven.
35
You have not yet escaped the judgment of the almighty and all-seeing God.
36
My brothers, after enduring brief pain, have drunk of never-failing life, under God's covenant, but you, by the judgment of God, shall receive just punishments for your arrogance.
37
Like my brothers, I offer up my body and my life for our ancestral laws, imploring God to show mercy soon to our nation, and by afflictions and blows to make you confess that he alone is God.
38
Through me and my brothers, may there be an end to the wrath of the Almighty that has justly fallen on our whole nation."
39
At that, the king became enraged and treated him even worse than the others, since he bitterly resented the boy's contempt.
40
Thus he too died undefiled, putting all his trust in the Lord.
41
The mother was last to die, after her sons.
42
Enough has been said about the sacrificial meals and the excessive cruelties.
Table of Contents Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Footnotes

1 [9] The King of the world will raise us up: here, and in 2 Macc 7:11, 14, 23, 29, 36, belief in the future resurrection of the body, at least for the just, is clearly stated; cf also 2 Macc 12:44; 14:46; Daniel 12:2.

2 [28] God did not make them out of existing things: that is, God made all things solely by his omnipotent will and his creative word; cf Hebrews 11:3.


New American Bible Copyright © 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

USCCB Home Page New American Bible Home Page





__________________________________

New American Bible
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20017-1194 (202) 541-3000
December 09, 2002 Copyright © by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops